Highlights and Activities for Weeks 21 &22

International News

Telecoms

a)     Cullen International.  The Commission invites the Irish regulator ComReg to reassess the appropriateness of its proposed margin squeeze tests and historic cost accounting (HCA) methodology in regard to current generation (legacy) bitstream products.  [read more – subscription needed]

b)     Reuters. Britain's telecoms regulator Ofcom said it would not regulate the prices BT can charge competitors like TalkTalk and BSkyB to use its fibre-optic network to provide their own broadband services. [read more]

Spectrum

a)     PolicyTracker.  Co-allocation of the whole UHF band for mobile broadband and broadcasting would "put up a for sale sign" over spectrum used by broadcasters, says the chief executive of the digital terrestrial TV (DTT) organisation Digital UK. [read more – subscription needed]

b)     PolicyTracker.  MEPs cleared the "connected continent" package by a wide margin in April. With attention now turned to the ongoing scrutiny of the package by EU member states in the Council, BEREC took the opportunity… [read more – subscription needed]

c)     PolicyTracker.  5G will be a topology of networks supporting a new set of currently unknown requirements, according to two senior figures at Cisco. [read more – subscription needed]

Internet

a)     Financial Times.  The British telecoms regulator has warned that proposed European rules safeguarding “net neutrality” could be damaging if they... [read more]

b)     Reuters.  The European Commission on Wednesday urged the United States to speed up its promised efforts to dilute U.S. influence over the governance of the Internet, saying it was time for ... [read more]

c)     Total Telecom.  Vodafone  on  Friday  warned  the  European  Commission  that  competition in the mobile market is at risk unless operators can get  access to fibre for their backhaul networks at reasonable rates. [read more]

Post

a)     Aviation Online Magazine.  The European Commission (EC) today published the summary of its 2013 decision to block the acquisition of the Dutch company, TNT Express by United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS).   [read more]

 

International Meetings

1. E-SIGNATURES – SUPER MONITORING REGIME: Our Manager of ICT and Technology attended a technical group meeting on e-Procedures in Brussels on the 22^nd May 2014.

2. ERGP CONTACT NETWORTK MEETING: Our External Relations Manager attended the ERGP Contact Network meeting held in Brussels on the 23^rd May 2014.

3. COUNCIL WORKING PARTY: A Council working party discussing the end-user provisions of the “Single Telecoms Market” package was held in Brussels on the 23^rd May 2014. Our chief of External Relations attended on behalf of MCA.

4. COCOM WORKING GROUP:  The 15^th meeting of the COCOM working group on the implementation of the framework for pan-European systems providing mobile satellite services(MSS) was held in Brussels on the 23^rd May 2014. Our Spectrum Management Manager attended on behalf of MCA.

5. TELECOMS WORKING PARTY: Our External Relations Analyst attended the Telecoms Working Party held in Brussels on the 26^th May 2014.

 

Publications

There were no new publications in this period.

    

Legal Updates

1. VODAFONE VS. MCA – Administrative Review Tribunal - GO plc applied to intervene in the proceedings. The case was adjourned to 27^th June 2014 for Vodafone to submit its evidence .

2. VODAFONE ET VS. MCA  - First Hall – Contestation on  Legal Interpret dues.  Evidence was received by Vodafone and GO plc. The case was adjourned to 8^th October 2014 for cross examination of Vodafone and GO plc  witnesses .

3. MELITA VS. MCCAA - Consumer and Competition Appeals Tribunal. Ongoing case regarding Melita’s  unlimited adverts. The case was adjourned to 22^nd  October 2014.

4. MCA VS. MELITANET - Evidence and submissions  were received. The case was adjourned for 29^th October 2014.

5. MCA VS. SESCO – Submissions  were received. The  case was  adjourned for 29^th October 2014.